


Snare

by AirgiodSLV



Series: Bind [2]
Category: The Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-10-08
Updated: 2004-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-20 10:42:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16135574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AirgiodSLV/pseuds/AirgiodSLV
Summary: “There is no ‘supposed to be,’” Karl corrected beside him. “You are what you are.”





	Snare

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to [Bind](http://airgiodslv.dombillijah.com/stories/bind.html). For Brenda, because I love her, and because she wrote [Submission](http://www.broadwriting.com/lotrrps/submission.html). Thanks to Brenna for the beta.
> 
> Content/Warnings: Minor hints of s/D.

It had been a good day, right up to the end. And then, “Seven o’clock, Mulligan’s, don’t be late,” Elijah had called across the warehouse when filming finally wrapped. Which was where things had started to not be so good.

It wasn’t that Billy begrudged Dom the company of others, or that he wanted Dom constantly to himself. On the contrary, it was only fair; Billy had Dom during the day, and everyone else could have him during the evening. It wasn’t that. It wasn’t even that it was usually Elijah who took Billy’s place, because Elijah was a good bloke, and he and Dom had a lot in common.

It was just hard to be the sole focus of someone’s universe for eight to twelve hours, and then to have that suddenly ripped away and turned on someone else. Billy didn’t even think that Dom realized he was doing it. He was just hyper-focused on Billy – and what else was there to focus on, with both of them up a mechanical tree? – and then he wasn’t, and it was like the floor had just dropped out from under Billy’s feet.

Especially when Dom then started making jokes, and being loud, and became so utterly unrecognizable that Billy felt the need to excuse himself and hang out at the bar. Alone. At least, alone until someone pulled out the stool next to his and ordered a lager.

“I wouldn’t worry about it, mate,” Karl said, and Billy glanced up in surprise to see a pair of knowing hazel eyes and a sympathetic smile. “He’ll calm down soon enough, and then he’ll see what’s going on.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Billy answered reflexively, but then couldn’t think of a follow-up. He was fairly sure that he needed an excuse now.

“No? Then why are you sitting over here, when your best mates are sitting over there?” Karl asked, swirling the liquid in his glass meditatively. “Seems to me you’re sulking.”

Billy flushed hot, and then regained enough of his composure to push his glass away and prepare to rise. “I am not…”

“Easy there,” Karl interrupted smoothly, and his hand locked around Billy’s wrist firmly enough to keep him from standing. Billy hoped that any spots of colour in his cheeks would be considered the result of anger and alcohol, and not the feel of Karl’s warm, solid grip. “I didn’t mean to offend. But you have to admit there’s a correlation.”

“I’m just not in the mood tonight,” Billy responded, although he didn’t make another move to go. He couldn’t help but notice that Karl’s hand was still on his wrist, his large fingers pressing on Billy’s pulse-point. Then, “He’s being a right arse.” And he had no idea where that came from, but it was out now.

“He’s doing the same thing you are, he’s just going about it in a different way,” Karl countered, and his fingers didn’t slip when he reached for his glass, only tugged slightly at the skin of Billy’s trapped wrist. “You can’t blame him for that.”

“What do you mean?” Billy asked suspiciously, eyes following the movement of Karl’s throat as he swallowed. He swore inwardly when he realized what he was doing, and looked back at the overlapping condensation rings on the bar.

“Attracting attention. Hoping someone will notice.” Karl’s eyes glinted with amusement, as if daring Billy to contradict him. “Only you do it by sitting at the bar, while he…” Karl nodded in the direction of the table, where a chorus of laughter could be heard over some unknown joke, “does it by acting up, so that someone will put him back in line.”

Billy started to dismiss the words, and then glanced over at the table. They were all joking around, not just Dom. But even as he watched, Dom raised a makeshift blow-gun to his lips, cobbled together from straws and toothpicks and sandwich flags, and took aim at a passing waitress. And just like that, Elijah’s arm shot out and snared Dom’s wrist, yanking and twisting in a way that had to be at least mildly painful. But Dom only grinned, and Billy could see the twinkle in his eyes from across the room.

He shivered, and was both disappointed and relieved when Karl let go of his arm and went back to stirring the ice in his water glass. “Is that how it’s supposed to be?” he asked quietly, more to himself than anyone else.

“There is no ‘supposed to be,’” Karl corrected beside him. “You are what you are.”

“Is that what you would want, though?” Billy asked, and caught himself a moment later, blushed and stared at his drink in serious concentration.

“What I would want?” Karl echoed, and the bar echoed with the richness of his laugh. “I couldn’t handle him, that’s for sure. Too high-strung for my tastes.” He leaned over and Billy made the mistake of looking up, into those warm, smiling eyes. “I like the quiet ones.”

“Oh,” Billy said, and glanced back at the table to give himself an excuse for looking away. Dom was involved in some sort of deep discussion with Viggo that involved a lot of gesticulating and emphasis, but his eyes kept darting back to Elijah, who was watching smugly with a proprietary grin on his face. Dom was hyper-focused again, but not on Billy. On Elijah. The way he had been all night.

There were times, when it was just the two of them, that Billy thought it could be enough. That Dom was strong enough to satisfy him, when Billy got caught against Dom’s chest in a tight hug, or pulled nearly off his feet by Dom’s hand in his tugging him off-balance towards something Dom found interesting. It was almost enough, for Billy.

But it would never be enough for Dom, and that was the problem. That was why Billy could be the best friend, but Elijah was the release. Because Dom didn’t always want to be the strong one. He wanted someone to push back.

And wasn’t that why Billy was over here in the first place?

“Penny for your thoughts,” Karl said quietly, and Billy blinked, shook himself out of the mood that had settled over his shoulders.

“Make it a beer and we’ll talk,” he shot back, with a tiny apologetic smirk to show Karl he was teasing. Karl didn’t call him on it, though, just slapped a five dollar bill on the counter and flagged down the bartender.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Billy admitted, shrugging a little in an attempt to lighten the conversation.

“None of us do,” Karl replied expansively, and passed Billy a fresh glass.

“You do,” Billy shot back, a little disgruntled, and kicked himself as soon as the words left his mouth for making this about Karl again.

“I can fake it,” Karl replied easily, and eyed Billy consideringly. “You want to try a little experiment?”

“Experiment?” Billy echoed, and he couldn’t exactly say yes, but at least Karl didn’t seem to take that as a ‘no’.

“Come on, then,” Karl said, and his hand had found Billy’s wrist again, tugging him gently forward on the stool until their knees were touching.

“What, here?” Billy protested, startled and abruptly nervous. Karl’s breath was warm, and smelled of rich liquor. Billy didn’t know what to think about the fact that he now knew what Karl smelled like close up.

“Yes, here. No one will look twice, trust me. We’re actors. Just look at _them_ ,” Karl pointed out, and Billy glanced over to see Dom and Viggo doing some sort of ritual dance around Bean which included a great deal of licking and hooting. Several of the other patrons were watching, but their gazes were amused rather than hostile.

“Okay,” he agreed reluctantly. “What…” And then he stopped, because Karl’s face was only inches from his own, and there was a smile twinkling in his eyes.

“Was that a yes?” Karl asked, and the teasing rumble in his voice made the hairs on Billy’s arms rise in response.

“I…” he started, and then had to stop because Karl’s lips were against his, warm and pressing, and every other thought but that had suddenly escaped. Karl didn’t push, but didn’t back off, either; his lips very carefully mapped out Billy’s, gentle and thorough, ending with a delicate nibble on the corner of Billy’s mouth that left him speechless and flushed.

Billy held still for a moment, and then another, and then cracked open one eye. “Is that it?” he asked suspiciously.

Karl stared at him in surprise, and then tilted his head back and let out a guffaw that caused several heads to turn their way and made Billy’s ears burn. “Well,” Karl said when he’d recovered, shaking his head. “You’ve certainly taken me down a peg. I can’t say I’ve ever gotten that reaction before.”

No, I…” Billy blushed again, and squirmed – actually squirmed! – on the stool. “I didn’t mean it like that,” he finished lamely. “I just meant…”

“I know,” Karl soothed, and tossed back the rest of his drink. “And yes, that’s it. Or let me put it this way…” He glanced over at the bartender, and then back to Billy. “That’s all I can show you here.”

Billy shifted, and considered what was being offered in that casual smile. “What do you say?” Karl asked, promise and invitation, and Billy spared one final glance for the cast-and-crew table, where Elijah seemed to have put an end to the dancing by hooking an arm around Dom’s neck to hold him in his seat. Dom didn’t seem to mind in the least. From here, it looked like he was practically purring.

“Yes,” Billy said, looking back to Karl and matching his smile. “I think I will.”


End file.
